Manchester City v Manchester United Predictions, Free Bet Tips, Odds & Enhanced Offers
Will Jackson
Will Jackson
The first Manchester derby of the season could not be more intriguingly poised, and Will Jackson is on hand to provide some Manchester City v Manchester United predictions and betting tips ahead of the game.
We have also got some of the best football betting offers, odds and markets from our range of football betting sites to go along with the Manchester City v Manchester United predictions and free bet tips.
Manchester City v Manchester United Predictions and Free Bet Tips
Manchester City v Manchester United Match Preview
This game is intriguingly poised, with Manchester City in the worst form of Pep Guardiola's managerial career and Manchester United very much still finding their feet under Ruben Amorim.
The hosts should still fancy themselves, but the 2-0 defeat to Juventus on Wednesday night was just the latest in a long line of disappointing recent results, and there were no obvious signs of an immediate return to form.
Kevin De Bruyne is back fit and has started three successive matches but that hasn't solved the goalscoring problem, with Josko Gvardiol the second-top scorer for the defending champions on three goals, while the defence remains as weak as ever with 23 goals conceded in the run of 10 games.
There are no obvious solutions in terms of personnel either, although Mateo Kovacic could be available having returned to training earlier in the week.
His presence in midfield could be a difference-maker, with City really struggling since the injury to Rodri at the start of the season but don't expect him to be a miracle worker - he did play in the first half of the current of form (one win in 10 matches, and seven defeats).
Rico Lewis is suspended for this game too, so that adds another problem for Guardiola to solve and given he recent demeanour, it doesn't look as though he will find that easy.
The one positive for City fans is that their city rivals remain in a state of flux and are yet to settle under Amorim.
Yes there have been encouraging signs - their shape and attacking play has been much improved from the stale approach under Erik ten Hag - but there are still plenty of doubts over personnel.
Rasmus Hojlund has been a real ray of hope in recent weeks and is probably on the best run of his Old Trafford career, culminating in the double he hit in the Europa League on Thursday to make it five goals in his last four matches.
So they will pose a threat to City, and with Amad Diallo in good form and Bruno Fernandes showing signs of getting back to his best they have good attacking options, but I don't see them having enough at this stage to put a complete performance together and get one over on their rivals.
With the weaknesses on both sides, I think that means we're in for a fun, if flawed, game so I'm backing BTTS and a home win at 7/4 with bet365.
I am backing Hojlund to get on the scoresheet though. He looks a much more complete striker already under Amorim and with appropriate support, so I think he will continue his run but in a losing cause, which is 6/1 with Unibet.
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